Day 7: (Tue Feb 3, Week 4) Sewing Lab Tutorials

Notes for 2026-02-03.

Administrative

1. Please follow through on laser cutter qualification (IDeATe Laser Cutters).

2. Please try your ID cards at the HL A4 door and let me know if you don’t have access.

Agenda

1. Discussion of A4 Sewing Lab material policies.

2. Brief overview of alternative in-class objective for students already experienced on our machines.

3. Brief overview of sewing machine operation.

4. Move to the A4 Sewing Lab for sewing machine demonstration and practice.

Resources

From the course site:

• Textile Design Resources

  • IDeATe Sewing Machine Guide

  • Links to Textile Craft Tutorials

Slideshows from previous course iterations prepared by Olivia Robinson:

• Machine Sewing

• Gathering and Shirring

• Cords, Channels, and Boning

In-Class Sample

For those already familiar with the sewing studio equipment, your goal is to design and create a sample stitched from cotton muslin which implements a single hinge axis of rotation and a line for tendon actuation. You may use the bamboo sticks as boning.

Suggested flat pattern for a hinge sample using three bamboo stiffeners. Not shown are channels or eyelets for the tendons.

If you complete this easily, please consider how to add an out-of-plane cross-brace to allow symmetric actuation around the fully-open position.

Alternative Sample

If you would prefer, you may instead attempt to make a tensegrity sample which uses bamboo strips for compressive support and fabric as the tension elements.